Our Staff and Trustees
Staff
Our hardworking staff are the foundation of Kulshan Community Land Trust. There is no part of what we do that can be separated from the people who do it.
Rose Lathrop
she/her/hers
Executive Director
Rose has been a resident of Whatcom County since 1998, raising her daughter Ivy and finding her professional path in helping to build a thriving and resilient community. Rose excels in creating positive change and fostering meaningful connections within diverse communities. She is deeply committed to driving strategic initiatives that promote equity, inclusivity, and social impact.
Rose brings dynamic leadership and extensive experience in nonprofit management and residential construction to her role at KulshanCLT. Rose previously served as Interim Executive Director and Program/Finance Director at Sustainable Connections, where her work included catalyzing climate solutions and expanding access to housing in NW Washington.
A committed community leader, Rose serves on various boards and committees, including the Downtown Bellingham Partnership Board of Directors and the City of Bellingham Planning Commission. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Policy and Urban Planning from Western Washington University and is a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor and LEED Accredited Professional.
(360) 671-5600 ext. 4
David Ellsworth-Keller
he/him/his
Homeownership Program Director
David has worked with nonprofit affordable housing organizations since 2008. He became KulshanCLT’s Homeownership Program Director in 2020 after relocating from Athens, Georgia. There he served as an Affordable Housing Program Operations Specialist with Athens Land Trust. There he became a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Certified Housing Counselor. Prior to that, David worked for Champlain Housing Trust of Burlington, Vermont for 11 years where he started as an Americorp volunteer, then served as Leasing and Property Manager, and eventually Homeownership Sales Coordinator since 2015. He helped homeowners and homebuyers navigate the process of the purchase and sale contract and closing on over 150 transactions.
(360) 671-5600 ext. 3
Kit Topaz
she/her/hers
Director of Development
Kit is a Pacific Northwest native with a passion for community building. Kit’s nonprofit history spans 20 years and many nonprofits served, both professionally and as a volunteer. For the last five years she has focused her talents on fundraising and has led teams at Cocoon House, an Everett, WA based nonprofit supporting young people experiencing homelessness; and Save a Forgotten Equine, an award-winning horse rescue in Redmond, WA.
Kit is a Golden Retriever in a human suit and genuinely enjoys meeting people. Kit’s secret passion is healing the environment by planting trees, and she is planting a tiny forest at her house in the Columbia neighborhood of Bellingham. When not tirelessly advocating for others, you can find Kit hiking in the woods with her family or elbow deep in her garden.
(360) 671-5600 ext. 5
Shell Philhower
she/her/hers
Finance/Operations Manager
Shell grew up in the Midwest and moved to Bellingham in 1994. She joined KulshanCLT in 2018 as the Bookkeeper/Office Administrator and became a HUD Certified Housing Counselor in 2020 while working to assist the Homeownership Director with the homeownership program. Shell moved to a role encompassing public grant management and supporting the project manager and Executive Director on KCLT’s project development team in 2022. She works closely with the Finance Committee to oversee operational finances as well as project funding and financing.
Shell became a grateful KulshanCLT homeowner in 2021. Outside of work, you can find her reading, gardening, bicycling, taking long walks or swimming in Lake Whatcom.
(360) 671-5600 ext. 1
Leandra Hansen
she/her/hers
Bookkeeper/Office Manager
Leandra was born in Bellingham and is the third generation of her family living in Whatcom County. She has worked in a variety of industries over her career, from restaurants, retail, production, data collection, building boats and fiberglass tanks before falling in love with accounting. She earned her AA in accounting at Bellingham Technical College in 2018 and joined KulshanCLT in May 2024. Leandra has always felt strongly about supporting the community and is very excited to bring her energy and experience to the organization. When not at work, you can usually find her working on her landscaping/garden, curled up somewhere with a good book or kayaking our local rivers and lakes.
(360) 671-5600 ext. 2
Molly McKinney-Holcomb
she/her/hers
Grants/Communications Coordinator
Molly McKinney-Holcomb is a Pacific Northwest native back home again after years abroad in Scotland. With an eclectic background ranging from theater to funeral care to education and beyond, one theme has been a constant: working to make the world a little kinder and a little more just. Molly joined the KulshanCLT team in 2023 and is also an MPH candidate through the Colorado School of Public Health.
(360)671-5600 ext. 6
Board of Trustees
Our volunteer Board of Trustees works to oversee, direct, and support our work while making sure that what we do is in line with our mission to create affordable homeownership opportunities for residents of Whatcom County.
Sara Young
she/her/hers
President, Trustee since 2021
I am the mother of three children and have 15 years’ experience in Corporate and Commercial Banking where I have been responsible for the underwriting and management of credit relationships for companies from various industries. I look forward to participating in KulshanCLT’s growth over the next several years.
I believe that affordable housing is an important part of creating diverse, healthy and flourishing communities and I appreciate the opportunity to play an active role in making affordable housing a reality for more people.
Eamonn Collins
he/him/his
Vice President, Trustee since 2022
I am a high school science teacher at Lummi Nation School with a background in public policy and advocacy. I live in Bellingham with my wife, Komal Shah, our 2 children, and my parents. Before moving to Bellingham and returning to the classroom, I was a U.S Senate and House staff member working on issues of educational equity and access.
I am passionate about housing and sustainability and am eager to help KulshanCLT grow and provide permanently affordable homes for more families in our community.
Benjamin Buhler
he/him/his
Treasurer, Trustee since 2022
I have lived in Whatcom County since 2007 and am a proud graduate of Western Washington University. For the past 7 years, I have worked in Commercial Banking helping Whatcom County businesses obtain the financing they need to grow their operations. Over this time, I have seen the median home price increase dramatically while local wages have lagged.
I believe that homeownership provides one of the most accessible avenues towards financial independence for individuals and families. Therefore, maintaining a supply of permanently affordable homes in the County will allow Whatcom County families the opportunity to pursue their financial dreams for years to come.
Todd Elsworth
he/him/his
Secretary, KulshanCLT Homeowner
Trustee since 2023
I am excited to serve on the KulshanCLT Board to lend my heart and homeowner voice for the community land trust movement. I see an opportunity to help solve a problem and am able to offer my seasoned skills of community engagement, political advocacy, and brand building to KulshanCLT as a board member and homeowner.
I have been a KulshanCLT supporter both personally and professionally for the past two decades. I became a KulshanCLT homeowner in 2018, sharing the house with my teenage daughter Violet (BHS ‘26). In 2013, I founded Recreation Northwest to create valuable regional programming for outdoor recreation.
Josh Parrish
he/him/his
KulshanCLT Homeowner
Trustee since 2019
I purchased my KulshanCLT home in 2008. I am grateful for the opportunity my family was given to become homeowners through this program. I am excited to give back by serving on the Board.
Cathalina Barril
she/her/hers
KulshanCLT Homeowner
Trustee since 2022
I am a single mother of two now adult children. I've lived in Whatcom County on the Nooksack Reservation most of my life. Recently, I have become a homeowner of one of the Telegraph Townhomes through Kulshan Community Land Trust. Coming from a moderate income household, I understand the difficulties of the challenges that we face to become homeowners.
Being a part of the KulshanCLT Board gives me the opportunity to give back to my community.
Paul D’Agnolo
he/him/his
KulshanCLT Homeowner
Trustee since 2024
I am serving on the board because I believe the work KulshanCLT is accomplishing has a profound impact on the lives of KulshanCLT homeowners and in our community more broadly. The CLT model offers relief from speculative pressures in a way that is not achievable through other avenues and I am delighted to contribute to the expanding impact of KulshanCLT’s work.
Being a Kulshan homeowner, I have felt that impact firsthand and want to help more people have the opportunity to own an affordable home in the increasingly inaccessible housing market. Our community is a special place and KulshanCLT is playing an important role in making it more accessible to everyone.
Alison Walker
she/her/hers
Trustee since 2018
I have lived in Bellingham for more than 20 years with my husband and two sons. My work life here has focused on marketing for local non-profits, most recently SPIE, and also making time to volunteer with organizations dedicated to building strong communities.
I am involved with KulshanCLT because I believe affordable housing matters to other pivotal drivers of individual and community success, from economic development to family health and stability.
Jamin Agosti
he/him/his
Trustee since 2024
I grew up in the PNW and Alaska and returned to Bellingham in 2022, where I live in the Sunnyland neighborhood with my wife, son, and five chickens.
As an attorney and transportation and housing advocate, I believe that the housing affordability crisis is one of the most pressing issues of my generation. I am excited to help KulshanCLT further its mission to strengthen community by making permanently affordable housing available to as many of our neighbors as possible.
Danne Neill
she/her/hers
Trustee since 2022
Danne was a founding board member of KulshanCLT and returned to the board in 2022. She brings expertise from years as a real estate broker in Whatcom County.
Lyndsey Reimer
she/her/hers
Trustee since 2024
I am a Bellingham native who spent some time living in Costa Rica and San Diego before making my way back to the Pacific Northwest. My work in the mortgage industry connected me with KulshanCLT, where I can devote time to helping make homeownership an affordable opportunity for all.
I am an animal enthusiast and foster mom with Happy Tails Happy Homes, a local rescue. You can find me hiking, gardening, playing fetch with my dog and spending time with family.
Vacant Seat
“Thanks to KulshanCLT, I bought this beautiful house, just minutes from the girls’ school, and the dream of a big backyard and separate bedrooms has come true!”
— KulshanCLT Homeowner